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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Double Chocolate Espresso Brownie Cookies

How much chocolatey goodness can you fit into a cookie anyway? The eternal question of chocolate lovers. And, as it turns out, the answer is: a lot.

These are fantastic. Actually, that word doesn't do them justice. They are....delicious? Scrumptious? Wonderful and comforting and lovely and addictive? Hmmm. Maybe there are no words to describe them well.

But, there are actions that can describe them well. I brought half of the batch with me to share with friends over coffee today, and they were scarfed down. Very quickly. (It took all of my willpower to leave any to share in the first place.)

These are decadently full of chocolate and wonderfully chewy, with the hint of espresso peeking through, but not dominating, every bite. They are rich, sort of like little brownies, which is why I switched to making smaller ones after the first batch. I doubt this made any difference in the overall amount we consumed, though. We just had to eat more of them to get there. I used a mixture of brown rice, tapioca starch, and potato starch in these. But this recipe barely calls for any flour to begin with, so I think you will be just fine using whichever gluten-free flour your heart desires (or your pantry allows). A starch would probably be a good bet, but in a pinch, a whole grain flour would probably work, too.

If you are a chocolate fan, seriously...what are you waiting for? These won't take you long to make, and you'll be glad with every bite that you did.

In a medium saucepan, combine bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter; heat and stir over low heat until mixture is melted and smooth. (Or, you can melt it together in the microwave at reduced power - around 60 or 70%). Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, 2 whole eggs, and ground espresso beans. Beat with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until well-mixed and color lightens slightly. Add the cooled melted chocolate, beating until combined.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be thick like brownie batter.

In a separate bowl, beat the single egg white until stiff peaks form. Fold very gently into the rest of the cookie dough, being careful not to overmix. (Hint: after you drop them onto the cookie sheet, you can press a few chocolate chips into the top to make them pretty.)

For smaller cookies: Place batter by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 11 - 13 minutes, just until the tops are set and the cracks on top do not appear moist. They will have a slight sheen to them.

For larger cookies: Place batter by heaping tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 13 - 15 minutes, just until the tops are set and the cracks on top do not appear moist. They will have a slight sheen to them.

Remove cookies from oven and let stand on the cookie sheet on a wire rack for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes 24 large cookies or about 36 smaller ones.

These are fantastic warm from the oven. If stored overnight in an airtight container, they become wonderfully soft and chewy.

To store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

*Note: Be careful about how long the batter is left standing; if it is longer than 40 minutes – one hour, it becomes a lot stiffer and the cookies will look different when they’re done.

Just wanted to let you know that I've included your post in today's post on Wheatless Foodie about gluten free party food ideas: http://wheatlessfoodie.blogspot.com/2011/02/gluten-free-superbowl-party.html